1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to security in network communications, and more particularly, to a system, method and computer-readable medium that can be used to determine the security status of computers in order to evaluate whether connection to such computer would pose an impermissible security risk given its security status.
2. Description of the Related Art
In network communications, users desire to operate their computers to freely access websites and other resources over the Internet. However, security risks posed by accessing unknown computers and websites can be substantial. Once a computer originating communications establishes a connection to another computer, that computer can infect the first computer with a virus or worm, for example. This can crash the originating computer, cause it to lose data, and/or cause it to infect other computers with the virus or worm via the Internet. The costs of virus or worm outbreaks are well-known and documented. For example, the economic damage done to computer users by the Goner, Code Red II, Blaster, SoBig, Netsky and Sasser worms and viruses in each instance had impact worldwide and easily amounted to millions or billions of US dollars in damage to lost productivity and costs to resolve the consequences of these worms and viruses. Clearly, it would be desirable to provide an invention with the capability to check the security status or vulnerability of a second computer before establishing connection to it in order to avoid unreasonable security risks with attendant adverse consequences.